Automatic installation for the continuous fabrication of sand molds and castings



April 2, 1963 R. w. TAccoNE 3,083,421

AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION FCR THE CoNTINuous FABRICATION CF SAND MoLDs AND CASTINGS 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19. 1960 n.5 mw mw VA m7,/ w/m. L a Ww Y B April 2, 1963 3,083,421

R. W. TACCON AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION FOR THE CONTINUOUS FABRICATION OF SAND MOLDS AND CASTINGS Filed May 19, 1960 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. @um-"LL nz acca/v5 3,083,42 l US 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 2, 1963 R. w.1AccoN|-:

AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION FOR THE CONTINUO FABRICATION OF SAND Moms AND cAsTINGs Filed May 19. 1960 1 Aprll 2, 1963 R.w. TAccoNE 3,083,421

AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION FOR THE CONTINUOUS FABRICATION OF SANO MOLDs AND CASTINGS FIled May 19. 1960 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 /IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIO I I l'lllIlllllllI/llllllll FING. 14

1N V EN TOR. RUSSELL nf. Tacco/VE BY wwe@ x. 5/

April 2, 1963 R. w. TAccoNE 3,083,421

:AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION FOR THE: coNTNuoUs AND MoLDs AND CASTINGS FABRICATION 0F S 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 19. 1960 @or mov mov .wx/ENTON.A RUSSELL w moco/VE April 2, 1963 R. w. TAccoNE 3,083,421 AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION FOR THE CONTINUOUS FABRICATION OF sAND NoLOs AND CASTINGS Filed May 19. 1960 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. RUSSELL w meco/vf BYM/Zea/XXM April 2, 1963 R. w. TAccoNE 3,083,421

AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION FOR THE CONTINUOUS FABRICATION OF sANO MOLOs ANO CASTINGS 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed May 19. 1960 FIG. 12

INVENTOR. /PUSSEZL W TICCOA/E Apnl 2, 1963 R. w. rAccoNE 3,083,421

AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION FOR THE c'oNTINUous FABRICATION oT SAND MoLns AND cAsTINGs Filed May 19, 1960 l1 Sheets-Sheet 8 IN VEN TOR. RUSSELL W T/JCCU/VE IWW April 2, 1963 R. w. rAccoNE 3,083,421

AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION Foa THE coNTINuous FABRICATION oF sAND Nouns AND cAsTINGs Filed May 19, lSO 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR. RUSSELL W TQC'CONE BVM XM w. rAccoNE 3,083,421 AUTOMATIC INsTA TION FOR- THE CONTINUOUS AND MoLOs AND CAsTINCs April 2, 1963 R. LLA FABRICATION oF s Filed May 19, 1960 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR. RUSSELL M E1000/VE WM f/ 3 o wm I T TS W A CC Em CFM April 2, 1963 AUTOMATIC INSTALLA FABRICATION OF S 11 Sheets-Sheet 1l Filed May 19. 1960 vNN QNN DNN( INVENTOR.

RUSSELL W MCCONE MKM tates rice AUTOMATEC INSTALA'EEN FR THE CN'HN- USUS FABRICTEUN 0F SAND MLDS AND CASTINGS Rnsseli W. Taccone, Erie, Pa., assigner to 'Eaccone @orporation, Erie, lan., a corporation of Pennsyivama Filed May 19, 1960, Ser. No. 30,5{21 6 Claims. (Cl. 22-2) This invention relates to molding machine systems.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic installation permitting successively, starting with the mold box, the making of the sand molds in the rst stage, then the pouring of the molten metal into these molds, cooling it, withdrawing the castings, and returning the empty mold boxes ready for the making of new molds.

Until now, it has never beenpossible to make an installation which was simple and completely automatic becanse of the enormous complications-resulting from the fact that it was necessary to prevent any displacement or collapse of the mass of sand during the dierent stages of the handling of the half molds and complete molds.

The present invention permits, for the first time, the realization of an installation which is completely automatic, simple, of minimum overall dimensions, both surface area and height, without complex and costly mechanism, assuring complete ease of handling from the time the empty boxes enter the molding machine until the return of the empty boxes after molding, casting, and punching out.

The installation according to the invention is notable in that the machine abricates molds with open faces which allows easy stripping, without iirst turning over the complete mold box and pattern plate, before the stripping, whatever the form of the pattern is, andrwhich also allows for `.asy handling during progressive movement along the conveyor line from 'the molding machine to the place for punching out the casting, without a bottom board and without it being necessary -to weight the molds.

The installation according to the invention is also notable for the fact that the half molds which are suitably brought into position opposite one another are held at diierent levels before being assembled to ormrcomplete molds.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, a double machine is utilized rom'which the half molds leave at the same level. Then, the lower half mold which is called the drag is turned over and brought to a level below that of the upper half mold which is called the cope. 'lt is essential that, as soon as they vleave the machine, the molds do not run `Athe risk of collapsing, despite the absence of the bottom board to support them. The turning over .of the ydrag can be made conveniently since `the sand holds to -it in the box without there being need to support it by a bottom board. In addition, the closing of the mold can also be made very conveniently since the mass of sand in each of the two boxes holds perfectly yby itself and, consequently, the bottom board does not make the operation diicult.

In one embodiment of the invention, the device for turning over Athe drag comprises a structure mounted in sucha way as-to vbe able to pivot'around an axis parallel to the direction of travel of the conveyor line of the molds which leavethe molding machine. The sand structure comprises, near 'its periphery, at least one compartment the shapeandsize of which is determined by the parts for guidingthe molds, placed in line with the path of circulation-after leaving the molding machine, in sucha way that when the two half molds, that is, the cope and the drag, leave the molding machine by the said path, the cope traverses the above mentioned compartment of the pivoting structure for turning over the molds and continues its travel along a prolongationof said path while the drag which followsit is stopped in the said compartment andtherstrnctnre thenrpivots by'a h alf turn and, consequently, makes thedrag descend and turns it over. Some means, such as a cylinder, is provided tonnake the drag leave thecornpartment ,which is then in itslower position and to bring it o n .to another track with rollers which is located below,the trackalongfwhich the cope left the turning over device, the ,said cope having simply traversed this device.

According `to anothercharacteristic of the` invention vthe rolling track for the copeswhich isflocated o nthe level ofthe upper part of the turning over `device and-the rolling track for the drags located-ony the lowerv level ofthe said device run into a closing station for the molds. The closing station comprises, at its lowerpart, a reception platform for the drags 'at the level` of their arrival track and a rig which is'movable'vertically and which is fitted with parts for the reception of the'copes on the upper track and which is capable of releasing the cope after having lowered it to the corresponding lower part, the said mobile rig being able to reascend to its top position to receive a new cope.

ln one embodiment.y the complete circuit of the boxes and the molds has, in plan view, theform of a very elongated rectangle between the two Vlong sides of which is placed the molding machine. The boxes circulate permanently in the closed circuit and the installation ,comprises, upstream from the molding machine, an .indexing station which brings the boxes, two by two, up to the molding machine for the preparation of a drag and a corresponding cope, thetsaid indexing station serving at the same time to assure the exit of the half molds `from the molding machine.

On the same long side of the rectangle there isa station for turning over the molds, across which the copes pass without being stopped, kwhile the drags arerturned over and Ibrought to a lower level. AY closing station for the molds is situated at the corresponding extremity of the long side of the rectangle where the drags and copes arrive in parallel, one above the other, at dilerent levels. A vdevice for changing direction is at the closing station and operates in such a way that the closed molds `leave lin the direction of the short adjacent side of the rectangle. Another stationY for changing the vdirection of the molds is situated at the opposite extremity of the said short side of the rectangle an-d is iitted with means to push the mold in a direction of department corresponding to that of-the other long side of the rectangle on` which a station for pouring metal into the mold is situated and which constitutes, along the rest of its length, the area for cooling of the parts which have been cast kin the molds.

At the other extremity of the long side ,of ,the rectangle, there is a lifting station .for raising the molds, into which the molds enter at the lower part and leaveat the upper part in a perpendicular direction to theirvdirection .ofentry; that is, in the direction of the secondshort side, of the rectangle. A punching outnstation `is located atv the junction of the other'extremity of the second short side of the rectangle and the rirst extremity ofi the irstlong side, the said punching out station being iittedwithmeans enabling the empty -boXesto-.leave .inaperpendicular direction to that in which the molds enter. That is, they move along the long` side of -the rectangle in .thedirection of the molding machine. There isalso 'a kseparating station for the ymoldboxes whereeveryeope is takenhold of as it leaves the punchingout station,together with the corresponding drag on the top of which `it is'placed, -.the separating station then ensuring the. placing-ofthe half molds on the path of travel which leads vtothe indexing station.

The invention will be better understood by'reading the -following description and by examination of the annexed drawings which show, by way or a non-limiting example, an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings: Y

FIG. 1 represents diagrammatically, in perspective, the whole of the automatic installation for the continuous fabrication of sand molds and castings according to the invention;

FiG. 2 is a front view, partly in section, of an indexing station serving as the means for bringing up the empty mold boxes into the molding machine;

FIG. 3 lis a Ivertical sectional view taken on line'ili- III of FIG. 2;

FlG. 4 is a plan View of a part of the station shown in FG. 2 and shows the device for positioning the .boxes longitudinally;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of FIG.

FIG. 6 shows diagrammatically, as -a vertical cross section, the movement of the mold boxes for the making of the molds in the molding machine;

FIG. 7 is an View, partly in section, of the station for the lowering and turning over of the drags;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line VIlI-VIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the closing station for the molds `and of the following station which is a Station for changing of direction;

FIG. l is a vertical section of the closing station for the mold taken onV line X-X of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view perpendicular to that shown in FIG. l0 of a closing station for the molds taken on line X3i-XI of FIG. 9;

FIG. l2 shows, to a larger Scale, a detail of the lower part of FIG. 11 and is taken on line XiI-Xil of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a front view, partly in section, of the station for changing direction which follows the closing station for the mold;

FIG. 14 is a profile view corresponding to FIG. 13 taken on line XII/XIV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of a station for the raising of the molds after casting and, also, the punching out station;

vFIG. 16 -is a vertical sectional view of the elevating station and the punching out station taken on line XVL- XVI of FlG. 15; v

FIG. 17 is a vertical section view of the elevating and punching out stations taken on line XVII-XVII of FIG. l; and

FIG. 18 is a vertical sectional view of the station for punching out the molds taken on line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 15.

Now with Vmore speciiic reference to the drawings, the automatic installation for continuous fabrication of sand molds and castings represented diagrammatically as a whole in FIG. l comprises a closed circuit along which the mold boxes move continuously, sometimes empty, and sometimes full with sand to form the molds in which the castings are made.

The circuit comprises a certain number of stations; that is, an indexing station 1 for bringing the mold boxes, two by two, into the molding machine 2 and vfor withdrawing the molds from the machine 2,V a station 3 for turning over the drags which serves, at the same time, as a means for bringing them to a lower level than the copes, which `follow their path at their level of leaving the molding machine, and a closing station 4 for the molds and, at the same time, for changing the direction, at right angles, of the path of the said molds.

A station 5 is provided for simply changing the direction, at right angles, of the path oli the molds. A station 6 is also provided for pouring metal automatically into a mold and a zone or area 7 is provided for cooling. A station 8 is provided for bringing the molds to a higher level and, at the same time, for changing direction by -a right angle. A station 9 punches out the molds and, at the same time, changes direction by a right angle a last time. A station 11 is provided for taking heid of each cope again in order to replace it just behind the drag on which it had been previously positions The whole of the installation has, in plan View, the form of a rectangular circuit of very elongated form with a right angle change of direction at each one of the corners, one of the long sides or" the circuit being utilized for the punching out of the molds and for the preparation of the new molds while the other long side is for the pouring of the metal and the cooling, the two short sides being only intended for closing the circ-uit and their length being reduced to the minimum necessary, taking into account the size of the molding machine, which is placed between the .two long sides of the circuit. The overall size of this installation is then reduced to the strict minimum as well in surface area as in height.

The empty boxes arrive at the molding machine one behind the other and, on their exit from the molding machine, the drags are turned over and brought down to a slightly lower level, the copes afterwards being placed on the drags. The molds thus formed then travel along until they reach the station for pouring the metal and, from there, to the cooling zone, on a horizontal plane which is approximately the level of the iloor of the installation. For punching out, the molds are brought up again to the level of the molding machine in such a way that there is space for the castings and the sand to fall below the mold boxes while the empty boxes are ready to re-enter the molding machine for the preparation of new molds.

During the whole of `their circuit, the longitudinal axes of the `mold boxes do not change direction, all changes of direction while travelling around the rectangle being made translationally and not with rotation. Thus, they move `lengthwise along the long sides of the rectangle of 4the circuit upstream and downstream of the molding machine, then to the stations 4*for the pouring of the metal and for the cooling, while they move crosswise along the short sides of the rectangle of the circuit from the closing station for the molds, to the position for the pouring of the metal and from the elevating station to the punching out station. Finally, the raising and lowering of the lmolds is again made without any rotational movement.

Emptyv mold boxes 3l arrive at the indexing station 1, rolling along on the flat, one behind the other, on hanged rollers 32 forming, for the lower edges of the long sides of the boxes, a horizontal track supported by a frame 33 (FlGS. 1 to 3).

The indexing station 1, which causes the empty boxes 31 to be brought up to the molding machine 2, comprises a lframe 35 which forms a bridge above the track for the boxes formed by the rollers 32.

The mold boxes are advanced, two by two, end to end, on the rollers 32 by means of a type of clamp constituted by two shoes 3S of a section in the form of a reversed U which clamp onto the two upper adjacent rims of the short sides of two consecutive boxes. The shoes 33 are carried respectively by two devices forming articulated parallelograms, each one comprising two small links d1 and 42 of which one extremity is pivoted onto the corresponding shoe and the other extremity onto a support 43 rigid with the exterior extremity of a piston rod 44 of a horizontal cylinder 4S. The axes of the two cylinders 45 are parallel to the direction of the track for the mold boxes constituted by the rollers 32. Each support 43 is guided by Va wheel which rolls along in the track formed by two angle pieces 47 and 48 which are rigid with the frame 35.

The supports 43 carry a small hydraulic cylinder 51, the cylinder proper being pivoted at one of its extremities around an axis 52 carried by the supports 43, while the outside extremity of the piston rod of the said cylinder is pivotally connected by an axis 53 to a lateral boss of each one of the two upper links 42 supporting the shoes 38 in such -a way that, when one acts on the said cylinder in one direction or the other, one makes the shoes 38 move up or down.

An abutment 55 rigid with the supports 43 enters into contact with a shock absorber device 56 rigid with the frame 35, vat the corresponding end of travel of the cylinders 45.

The function of the indexing station is as follows:

The mold boxes 31 which arrive at the indexing station 1, under the action of means which will be described hereinafter, are taken care of two by two in the followmg way:

The rods 44 of the cylinders 45 being at their neutral positions, called high, that is, returned the maximum amount inside the cylinders, the small cylinder 51 is actioned in the direction of its piston leaving the cylinder in order to make the two shoes 38 descend onto the two adjacent sides of the two mold boxes which are exactly at this position, at that particular time. One actions the large cylinders 45 in such a Way that the two mold boxesheld by the shoes 38 are brought into the molding machine 2. Then one actions the small cylinder 51 in the direction which produces the raising up of the shoes 38 which frees the two mold boxes mentioned above. Finally, one brings back the large cylinders 45 into the position in which their piston rods y44 are back inside the cylinders. The two mold boxes are now disengaged and are free to be brought into the molding machine Z.

Each time that the large cylinders 45 bring two empty boxes into the molding machine 2, they push, at the same time, through the intermediary of these two mold boxes, two half molds, that is, a cope and a drag, which have just been made by the molding machine and which are thus driven to the position 3, the turning over station for the drags.

In order to position the mold boxes with the required precision in the molding machine and, in fact, everywhere throughout the installation Where it is felt that this is required, a positioning device is provided which comprises, firstly, on each mold box, a vertical spacer 61 (FIGS. 3 and 5) of circular section, for example, held by the corresponding upper and lower edges of the box. Secondly, at a predetermined place along the rolling track of the mold boxes, a positioning part 62 is placed, the extremity of which is hollowed out in the form of a V in order to fit onto the spacer 61 of the box, the part 62 constituting the piston rod of a small cylinder 63. (See FIG. l0, for example.)

The part 62 is rigid with a cross piece 64 which carries two rods 65 which slide in two tubular guiding parts 66 fixed to the frame 33 for the rollers 32. The mold boxes which are brought approximately to their desired position by means of cylinders, for example, the cylinders 45 of the indexing station, are afterwards positioned with precision by the part 62 of which the V extremity ts onto the spacer in order to center it better, should it be required, under the action of the small cylinder 63. The mol'd box, which is rigid with the spacer, is thus positioned with precision.

The actu-al molding machine is not part of the present invention and will not be described in detail. An example will simply be given of the way in which the molds are made in the machine with a surface in the form of an arch, referring to FIG. 6. This figure of drawing represents, very diagrammatically, the different positions occupied lby a mold box from the moment when it comes empty into the machine to the moment when it leaves in the form of a mold. The drawing is a Vertical cross section of the machine, approximately following the line VI-VI of FIG. l. Each mold box arrives in the molding machine in the position indicated at 31a at a certain level by rolling, for example, on rollers 71 mounted in a 6 support 72 vertically movable on` a stand 73, itself movable horizontally, either backwards or forwards.

The support 72 descends to the point where the mold box occupies the position 31h; that is to say, it rests on a pattern plate 74, also carried Vby the support 72, with a pattern Sti. The frame afterwards is displaced backwards inthe direction of the arrow F1 in such a way as to bring the whole assembly of the pattern plate 74 and the mold box into the active part of the molding machine which comprises a part 76. The part 76 is in the form of a head which is fitted with a very flexible, non-elastic diaphragm 77 of a large surface area intended for effecting the packing down of the mass of sand 7S deposited in the mold box after the pattern 80 has been placed on the pattern plate.

After the sand has been packed down by means of compressed air brought into the interior of the head through ports 79, the stand 73 moves in the forward direction as shown by the arrow F2. The box, having become a half mold, occupies the position 31d and then the support 72 is brought back to its higher position in such a way that the half mold now occupies a position 31e. The stripping has been able to be made easily; that is, without turning over the whole assembly of the mold box, the pattern, and the pattern plate, due to the particular form of the mold which has a surface in the form of an arch, each point along the surface of which oers approximately the same resistance to the forces transmitted from the sand on the opposite face to the one where the impression is left by the pattern.

From the moment when the half mold is raised up from the pattern plate 74 and is supported, by its lower edge only, on the wheels or rollers 7l, the mass of sand is only maintained in the interior of the box due to the special formation of the mold with its surface in the form of an arch which prevents the collapse of the mass of sand.

From this moment, the half molds, as well :as the complete molds formed by a cope and a drag after they have been assembled, move along continuously on the rolling track while only bearing, by their rims, on the rollers which constitute the said tracks. This operation again is only possible due to the particular structure of the mold in the form of an arch. The moving along of the molds on the rollers obviously gives rise Ito fairly large vibrations but these vibrations ydo not have any effect on the solidarity and resistance of the mold, again due to the structure of an arch offering an equal resistance over the whole of its surface, with the forces being .transmitted to the edges, where the arch is supported.

The half molds are expelled from the molding machine by the empty mold boxes which are brought into the machine, as mentitoned above, and arrive at the number 3 station for the turning over of the drags. This station comprises a rotating structure designated as a whole by the numeral 91 (FIGS. 7 and 8), which can pivot around a horizontal shaft 92 supported by two columns 93. This rotating structure is composed of four parallel beams 94 made rigid, in pairs, with the rotating shaft 92, by arms 95. Two of the beams 94 are in perpendicular plane to the shaft 92, close to one of its extremities. The two other bearnsare positioned close to the other extremity of the shaft 92. The beams 94 support eight cross bars 97 parallel `to the axis of pivoting of the structure and on which are mounted flanged rollers 9S regularly spaced.- The `distance between the -two cross bars located on the same side is such that the long sides of a mold box 31 can roll freely between the rollers supported by these cross bars. vMoreover, the length of these cross bars is approximately equal to' the length of the mold boxes.

The structure 91 can occupy one or the other of two stopping positions at one hundred eighty degrees to each other. In bothy positions, the beams 94 are vertical. In eachf of these positions, the rows of rollers of `four of the cross bars guide a mold box `at the upper part of the structure and the rows of rollers of the four other cross bars guide another mold box at the lower part. In the part of the pivoting structure which is above, at a given moment, a half mold 31 rests on the rollers which are below it; that is, those of the two cross bars the closest to the axis of oscillation, while vthe half mold 31 which is in the lower part of the said structure rests on the wheels fixed onto the cross bars which are the furthest away from the axis.

The disposition of the whole assembly is such that the lower rolling track, of the two tracks which are in the upper part of the structure at whatever moment, is a1- ways at the level of the rolling track constituted by the rollers 32 on which the molds roll on their exit from the molding machine and constituting, in some measure, a movable section of the said rolling track 32, the axis of pivoting of the structure of the turning over station being parallel to the direction of .this track.

Moreover, at the level of the rolling track which is at the lower level of the pivoting structure 91 andas a prolongation of it, on the opposite side .to the point of entry of the molds, a rolling track 99 is provided (FlGS. l, 9, and l). The track 9% is intended to lead the drags from the turning over station 3 to the closing station d for the molds.

The movement of pivoting of the structure 91 is assured by a cylinder which is, in this example, a double hydraulic cylinder 161. The cylinder 101 comprises two cylinders 192 in the interior of which are housed .two pistons 1G33, respectively. The two cylinders 102 are disposed `co-axally with regard to each other and their common piston rod ldd is cut in the form of a toothed rack 1% in mesh with a toothed pinion 1% rigid with the rotating shaft 92.

According to how the fluid under pressure is admitted into one 'of the cylinders 132 or into the other, the toothed rack 1th? is made to slide in one direction or the other and, consequently, a pivoting of the structure 91 is caused in one direction or the other. The travel of the pistons 193 of the cylinders 162 and the diameter of the toothed pinion 1% are such that each time that the pistons 103 move from one end to another ot the cylinders, the pivoting structure 91 makes a half turn, the end of the movement being brought to a halt by one or the other of two hydraulic dampers 168 xed at the ends of .the two cylinders 1&2, respectively. When the pistons 103 are at one or the other of their ends of travel, the structure is vertical.

T he evacuation of the drags, from the lower part of the pivoting structure 91 onto the rolling track 99, is assured by a pushing device integral with the movable element of a cylinder 109 (FIG. l).

The functioning of the turning over device for the molds is as follows:

, With each cycle of the molding machine 2, it evacuates onto the rolling track a cope followed immediately by the corresponding drag. The rolling track is thus lled with molds, from the exit of the molding machine up to the entry to the turning over station 5 in such a way that, with each cycle, a cope traverses the turning over station 5 without stopping there while a drag is stopped precisely in the part of the pivoting structure which is then in the upper position. The pivoting structure is made to execute a half turn while the forward movement of the molds is stopped.

During this pivoting of a half lturn of the structure 91, the drag, which is in the upper position, then descends and, at the same time, is turned upside down. It is now at the level of the rolling track 99 of the exit from the turning over station S onto which it is brought by the pushing device of the hydraulic cylinder 109.

This turning over movement of the drags which is easily handled and very rapid and which does not require the aid of a pattern plate to 4avoid the caving in of the sand is only rendered possible due to the considerable resistance of the molds with their faces in the form of an arch. The fact of being able to support and hold the molds solely by their rims makes the operation of turning over particularly easy.

The drags which are accumulated on the rolling track 99 advance, by the length of one mold, with each cycle of operation of the molding machine and .thus arrive at the lower part of the closing station 4 at the same time as the corresponding copes arrive at the upper part of the station 4.

The closing station 4 of the molds (see also FIGS. 9 to l2) is thus fed, on the one hand, by the lower rolling track 9? on which the drags arrive lengthwise, supported by their lower edges, and, on the other hand, by the upper rolling track 32 on which the copes arrive, the lower surfaces of their edges rolling on the rollers of this track and positioned in the plane of the joint of the mold. These rolling movements are always possible, without the mass of sand collapsing in the mold box, due to the special structure of the molds in the form of an arch.

A platform 116 resting on four columns 115 supports a mechanism for lowering the copes. This lowering mechanism comprises two rods 117 which slide in two vertical guides 118 positioned in the mid-vertical plane perpendicular to the direction of arrival of the molds. The lower extremities of the sliding rods 117 are connected by a cross bar 119 which maintains Ithem at their correct distance apart and which carries, at each of its extremities, two horizontal beams 122 perpendicular to the above mentioned plane. Each of the beams 122 is fitted with a set of rollers 123 intended for temporarily supporting lthe copes by the lower faces of their upper rims. Each of the rollers 123 is mounted on a support 124 capable of pivoting around an axis 125 parallel to the` corresponding beam under the action of a hydraulic cylinder 12.6 of which a cylinder 127 is rigid with the said .cross bar and the piston rod is attached, by a connecting rod 1128, to the said pivoting support.

The up and down movements of the sliding rods 117 are assured by a mechanism which comprises two racks 131 respectively rigid with the rods 117 and in mesh with toothed pinions 132 rigid with a horizontal shaft 133. The shaft 133 swivels on the platform 116 and also has a toothed wheel 1.34 in mesh with a rack 135 rigid with the common piston rod for two hydraulic cylinders .135, the cylinders 136 being coaxial and positioned opposite one `another and equally supported by the platform 116, each one also being fitted with a hydraulic damper at the end of its travel.

kThe general arrangement of the apparatus and the tracks of these different elements is such that, when the mobile rig, designated as a whole by the numeral 120, is in its upper position, the mold boxes which rest on the plane of the upper rollers 32 can move along with the lower f ace of their upper edge rolling on the rollers 123. The pivoting supports 124 lof the rollers 123 then occupy the upperrposition in which the axes of the rollers 123 lare horizontal.

When the pivoting supports 124 are inclined as shown in FIG. 11, the space between the rollers 123 carried by the two opposite supports is then slightly more than the width of a mold box 31 so that the mobile rig of the closing station can be raised after a cope has been deposited on the corresponding drag.

The exit of the closed molds is made crosswise in a direction F3 perpendicular to the direction of entry on a horizontal plane constituted by exit rollers i141 which are positioned at a slightly lower level than that of the rollers 99 on the plane of arrival. The entry Irollers 14d are mounted so as to be either brought up to a level slightly higher than that of the rollers 99, for the entry of the molds lengthwise, or to be brought down to a level slightly lower than that of the rollers 141 for the exit of the molds crosswise; that is, in the direction F3 perpendicular to the direction of entry on the said exit rollers 141.

To this end, in one embodiment shown diagrammaticallyin FIGS. 13 and 14, the rollers 140 are carried -by two longitudinal parallel beams .4143, eachbeamresting on two cams 144 and 145, respectively-rigid with levers V146 and :147 capable of pivoting around iixed axes i148 and 149. The free extremities of the two levers 146 are connected by means of a cross -bar 152 to apiston .rod 153 of a'cylinder 154 of which the cylinder is linked to a xed axis 155. The two levers 147 are connected respectively to the two levers 146 by coupling rods 157.

In the position shown, the piston rod 153 of the cylinder 154 is recessed ,in .the cylinder -154'and the cams 144 and 145 maintain the longitudinal beams 143 at their upper level in such a way that the rollers y140-are higher than the rollers 141 which is the correct position for the entry of the molds into thefclosingstation.

n the other hand, when the piston rod 153 ofthe cylinder 154 is extended out .to its maximum, the .cams 144 and -145 allow-the longitudinal beams 143 to descend to such a height that the rollers 140 are thenlowerfthan the rollers 141 and just at the level 'of rollers v165 (see also FIGS. l-l and l2) on the plane of exit which is -the kexit position of the molds.

The exit of the closed molds -is `assured -by a hydraulic cylinder 161 of which the cylinder is lcarried by a :fixed platform 162 and a piston rod 1-6'3 is lfitted, -at its-outside extremity, with Va pushing device `164 -which enters into contact with the lateral -faces `of the drags. The molds leave by arollng track composedof Vthe wheels or rollers 165 which bring them to the station 5 'for-changing direction (FIG. l).

The functioning of the closing station for the molds is as follows:

The drags are introduced one by one -into the station under the action of the cylinder 109 (FIG. 1) which makes them leave the turning over -station 3 by means of the drags being alignedion the rolling track 99 between the turning over station and .the closing -station 4.

The copes are introduced into vthe movable rig of the closing station under the action of the cylinder 45 of the indexing station 1 which pushes the molds through the molding machine and the turning over station. A cope and a drag are then simultaneously introduced into the closing station, one above the other at ldilerent levels. A double cylinder 136 of the said station yenters into actionand it makes the cope descend, attached by the rollers 123 to the movable rig 120. This method of supporting the mold, solely by its outside edges, is only made possible because of lthe high qualities of resistance which it has due to its face being in the form of lan arch. The cope becomes fitted onto .the corresponding drag which rests on the rollers 140.

Under the action of the cylinders 126, the rollers 123 are retracted by being lowered and moved aside. Then the movable rig 120 ascends empty .to its upper position. The set of rollers 140 on which the complete mold, formed by a cope and a corresponding drag, rests descends under the action of the cylinder 153 by a small distance in such a way that the mold now rests on the set of rollers 141. The cylinder 161 pushes the mold along the plane of exit composed of the rollers 165 by means of the pushing device 16.4. This changing of direction without a bottom board is also only made possible due to the extremely resistant structure of the molds which is assured b y the fact that their Afaces have the form of an arch.

The molds arrive at the station 5 for changing direction. This comprises a set of entry rollers 171 (FIG. 9) forming a plane of rolling in a prolongation of the rolling track formed by the rollers 165 between the closing station and the station for changing direction, and a set of exit rollers 172 orientated in a direction at right angles to that of the entry rollers 171 and movable vertically in relation thereto by means of a mechanism such as, for example, the type shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 already 10 utilized lat the closing station, allowing the molds to leave on the rolling track 173 at right :angles to the entry track 17-1, under the action of a` cylinder 174 tted with a pushing device 175. This changing of direction can also be made without a bottom board for the same reasons as before.

A damping devicey 178 (FIG. 1l) is attached to a viixed frame 179. The dev-ice 178 serves asa buffer for softening the shocks of the, molds pushed into the station 5 Ifor changing direc-tion by the cylinder 16 of the closing station for the molds. Moreover, similar damping devices are also placed anywhere in the installation where they would be useful. l

In addition, in order to properly maintain the mold boxes laterally even though the rollers are normally fitted with anges, lateral rollers are provided, particularly at the stations for changing direction as indicated at` in FIGS. E13, 14, and 18, for example, with their axes molds, it is not necessary to place them on bottom boards either when -illing them or when they are being submitted to the hardening treatment. They roll afterwards to the cooling area 7 and arrive at the elevating station 8.

The elevating station of the molds (FIGS. l5 to 17) comprises four columns 181 supporting al rig, designatedl as an assembly iby the numeral 182, vertically movable and carried by the lower extremities of two rods 183 which can slide in vertical tubular guides 184 supported by a platform 185 fixed onto the upper extremities of the columns 181-. 'Ilhe two sliding rods 183` are rigid with. racks 186 in mesh respectively with two pinions 187 rigidi with a shaft 18S. The shaft 188 has a toothed wheel 191 in mesh with a rack 192 rigid with the common piston. rod of two hydraulic cylinders 193 which are positioned co-axially opposite each other on theV platform 185.

The mobile rig 182 comprises two upper horizontal cross bars 196 parallel to the direction of entry of the molds and xed respectively to the lower extremities of the two sliding rods 1-83. The molds enter into the elevating device lengthwise in the direction of the arrow F5 (FIGS. l5 and 16).

At each extremity of each one of two cross bars 196, an upright 197 is attached in such a way that each cross bar 196 and its two uprights form an assembly in the -shape of a cover lof which the legs arev pointing downwardly.

Two bracing bars 198 connect the corresponding extremities lof the two cross bars 196 and two other bars constituted by the ang-le bars 199 vconnect the extremities o-f the corresponding legs of two covers. Each angle -bar 199 carries a row of rollers 201 for the exit of the molds. The dimensions of the covers are such that the molds can traverse them crosswise (FIG. 16) and their spacing is such that the molds can pass, lengthwise, between them (FIG. 17).

Below the elevating station 8 at the level where the molds arrive, in the direction of the arrow F5, on a rolling track 203, a platform 204 is provided titted with rolling wheels 205 on which the molds arrive. When the movable rig 182 is at the end of its lower course, its lower ibars v199 rest on the platform 204 and its rollers 201 are at a slightly lower level than that of the rollers or wheels 205 of the entry platform.

When the movable rig 182 is at the end of its upper travel, the rollers 201 carried by it are then at the level of Ithe exit plane of the elevating device, constituted by ii a series of rollers 207 carried by two beams 20S. The molds are expelled from the movable rig 12 crosswise on the plane of exit by a pushing device 211 of a hydrauiic cylinder' 212 xed onto a support 21), rigid with the columns 181.

The functioning of the elevating device is as follows:

Each mold arrives lengthwise on the iixed lower plane of the rollers 2175 at the interior of lthe movable rig 182. previously brought to its lower position. The sand in the mold does not collapse due to the solidity of the arch. The movable rig which .is then raised to its upper position under the action of the cylinders 193 raises up the mold by its rollers 201 and, finally, the cylinder 212 drives. the molds from lthe movable rig "182 crosswise and then they pass onto the plane of exit constituted by the rollers 207 which leads them to the punching out station 9.

The punching out station 9 for the molds (FIGS. 15, 17, and 18) comprises a platform 2.09 supported by columns 221) comprising two parallel rows of rollers 213 forthe varrival of the molds, crosswise, at the level of the plane of exit 207 from the elevating device, and two other parallel rows of rollers 214 for changing the direc` tion ofthe molds Aby right angles for the exi-t of the empty mold boxes lengthwise. The exit rollers 214 which are at a lower level Ithan the entry rollers 213 at the moment when the molds come into the punching out station 9 are brought up to a slightly higher level for the exit of the mold boxes by means of a device of the type described above, with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, and already used at the closing station 4 for the molds and the station 5 for changing direction.

The punching out is assured by one or more plates or disks 215 each carried by a piston rod 216 of a cylinder 217 supported `by a frame 218 xed onto the upper part of the columns 220.

Each mold pushed to the punching out s-tation 9 by the following molds which are themselves pushed by the cylinder 2:12 from the exit of the elevating station. The mold boxes which are emptied of their sand and the castings at the punching out station 9 are sent out from the said station by means of a pushing device 221 iixed to a piston -rod 222 of another cylinder 223 fixed onto a structure 224 integral with the columns 220.

The sand and the castings fall between the columns 220 below lthe plane of support for the molds onto a grid or screen 224 (see also FIG. 1) from where they are evacuated by means of any convenient classical device. Until they arrive at the punching out station 9, `as from the `time they leave lthe molding station, the molds do not suffer any damage or deformation due to the fact that the shape of their surface is in the form of ran arch, despite the numerous changes of direction a-nd level and the shocks and vibrations to which they have been submitted.

It must be understood that the invention lis in no way limited to the embodiments her-ein described and shown in the drawings which have been given by way of examples. Many embodiments and changes may be made therein by those skil-led in the art, according to the various applications, without, because of that, departing from the scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the-invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An automatic installation comprising a top and a bottom track, said top track being disposed in the form of a rectangle and said bottom track being disposed substantially directly below said top track, an index station, index means on one of the longer sides of said rectangular top track for moving flasks in ordered sequence to a molding machine a roll over device, a closing means, a pour- :ing device, and a punch out station, said flasks being made up of a cope section and a drag section, means moving said flasks one ahead of the other intermittently on said top track, said molding machine being supported adjacent said top track with a means below said asks and said top track to support sand in said asks resting on said top track, a molding head above said top track to com press sand in said flasks above said sand support means, said roll over device being along said tracks on the same side thereof with said molding machine for moving each said drag section down from the level of said top track to the level of said bottom track and for rolling said drag section over, said closing means having means thereon for moving said drag sections relative to said cope sections and into engagement therewith and for closing them together, and said pouring station being on said top track with Vmeans thereon for stopping said iiasks to receive molten metal from a pouring device, and said punch out station being on said machine adjacent said top track having means thereon for punching the sand and completed casting therein from said flasks.

2. The installation recited in claim 1 wherein said index section, said roll over station, and said closing means are on one elongated side of said rectangle and said pouring station is on the other side thereof.

3v. The installation recited in claim l wherein all said parts of said bottom track are disposed directly below a part of said top track and parallel therewith.

4. The installation recited in claim 2 wherein said top track inelines downwardly on the long side thereof having said pouring station thereon, and means is provided at the end of said long side for raising said flasks up to the level of said top track.

5. The installation recited in claim 4 wherein said tracks have means thereon to keep said flasks mowng without rotation, and means is provided at each corner of said tracks to change the direction of movement thereof without rotation.

6. A machine for making sand molds comprising a first track and a second track disposed one above the other and spaced from each other, said first track being disposed substantially directly above said second track, copes and drags supported on said rst track, means to move said copes and drags along said rst track in ordered sequence, means on said machine to fill said copes and drags with molding sand While they are on said iirst track, means on said machine to compress said sand in said copes and drags while they are on said iirst track, means to move said drags to said second track, and means to move both said copes and said drags relative to each other and into engagement for closing them together so that said molds can receive material to be cast.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,767,865 Lasater Oct. 23, 1956 2,859,498 Reichert Nov. 11, 1958 2,918,711 Herbruggen Dec. 29, 1959 

1. AN AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION COMPRISING A TOP AND A BOTTOM TRACK, SAID TOP TRACK BEING DISPOSED IN THE FORM OF A RECTANGLE AND SAID BOTTOM TRACK BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECTLY BELOW SAID TOP TRACK, AN INDEX STATION, INDEX MEANS ON ONE OF THE LONGER SIDES OF SAID RECTANGULAR TOP TRACK FOR MOVING FLASKS IN ORDERED SEQUENCE TO A MOLDING MACHINE A ROLL OVER DEVICE, A CLOSING MEANS, A POURING DEVICE, AND A PUNCH OUT STATION, SAID FLASKS BEING MADE UP OF A COPE SECTION AND A DRAG SECTION, MEANS MOVING SAID FLASKS ONE AHEAD OF THE OTHER INTERMITTENTLY ON SAID TOP TRACK, SAID MOLDING MACHINE BEING SUPPORTED ADJACENT SAID TOP TRACK WITH A MEANS BELOW SAID FLASKS AND SAID TOP TRACK TO SUPPORT SAND IN SAID FLASKS RESTING ON SAID TOP TRACK, A MOLDING HEAD ABOVE SAID TOP TRACK TO COMPRESS SAND IN SAID FLASKS ABOVE SAID SAND SUPPORT MEANS, SAID ROLL OVER DEVICE BEING ALONG SAID TRACKS ON THE SAME SIDE THEREOF WITH SAID MOLDING MACHINE FOR MOVING EACH SAID DRAG SECTION DOWN FROM THE LEVEL OF SAID TOP TRACK TO THE LEVEL OF SAID BOTTOM TRACK AND FOR ROLLING SAID DRAG SECTION OVER, SAID CLOSING MEANS HAVING MEANS THEREON FOR MOVING SAID DRAG SECTIONS RELATIVE TO SAID COPE SECTIONS AND INTO ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND FOR CLOSING THEM TOGETHER, AND SAID POURING STATION BEING ON SAID TOP TRACK WITH MEANS THEREON FOR STOPPING SAID FLASKS TO RECEIVE MOLTEN METAL FROM A POURING DEVICE, AND SAID PUNCH OUT STATION BEING ON SAID MACHINE ADJACENT SAID TOP TRACK HAVING MEANS THEREON FOR PUNCHING THE SAND AND COMPLETED CASTING THEREIN FROM SAID FLASKS. 